Safety issues - Things a burglar won't tell you

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The Farmers Daughter

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I found this to be valuable and wanted to share. This applies to everyone!

Things A Burglar Won't Tell You!! This is very interesting. Read all the way.......

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste ... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4.. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If a decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system . If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com .)


8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake... I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosey neighbors.

3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.
4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.
7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation..

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California ,and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com ; and Richard Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

Protection for you and your home If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you.

Wasp Spray!
A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead. The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

Wasp And Hornet Spray: On the heels of a break in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self defense experts have a tip that could save your life. Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School. For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed. Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."

Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades. It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out." Maybe even save a life.
 
My daughter's in laws were robbed by a group that was painting houses in the neighborhood. They would leave windows open on certain houses where they found easily stolen 'goodies' and another group would come in to steal the items so the painters were never seen anywhere but where they belonged. But the only houses that were robbed were the ones the painters had been at. Even tho they didn't rob every house they painted or even rob them all at once.
Daughter's MIL lost her family heirloom jewelry the day before she was giving it to my daughter to wear at her wedding.
 
Funny thing about this story is that exactly what makes a B&B welcoming is manna to a thief! Open windows & curtains, letting anyone into the house, having nicely-tended grounds, having to let anyone and everyone know when we're not home (signs on the doors, notices on our voicemail), non-barking dogs (altho mine tore down the stairs barking today when someone yelled in my screen door), far off neighbors.
 
We lived next to a drug dealer while in Massachusetts. His customers would walk around the neighborhood - a mix of triple-deckers with Tufts students and single-family homes - looking for student apartments with lots of electronics and rarely-locked doors. No one notices another 20-something kid walking out of an apartment with his laptop and cell phone. One of them cased our place once but I was working at home - he was a little shocked when looked at him outside our window and picked up the phone to call the cops. They work fast.
 
Almost everything we do as inns is against the grain of safety and security. If it was something we worried about we would not have complete strangers by the dozens in our home. Anyone could hurt us, rob us, do anything they wanted at any time, as we are for the most part NOT on the defensive.
 
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime"
 
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime".
I'd say it is advisable to look at crime stats because you want your guests to be comfortable. If they look at the neighborhood and it seems 'sketchy' or you have to drill into their heads that they HAVE to lock the door at all times or you have bars on your windows, guests will move on.
I just had guests a few weeks ago who had a rez in the city near me. They drove up to the B&B, saw the bar crowd lounging across the street and drove off. They weren't worried about losing their deposit, they were worried about being safe.
They told me where they had booked and I looked at the TA reviews, a few of which cited nervousness at coming back to the inn after dark and the noise from the bar. Whether or not safety is really a concern there, I don't know, but the guests didn't want to find out.
 
sure..........I get the neighborhood appearance and feel to it as to whether folks would be confortable.........I would assume.......I, or any owner would want that very same thing for where they are living.
A bar across the street.........no.......that's not gonna fly for me.........or even one down on the corner.
Personaly.......I'm just trying to grasp the idea of a "break in"........stolen items.....as described in the openning post.
Our home was broken into once back in the late 60's.......we all think it was probably my brother.....

Considering some of the items listed that a thief does and looks for.......I would imagine that the activity of a B&B would be one of 2 things........a deterant, due to the activity of people coming and going...........or an invite, due the activity of people coming or going.
certainly those are helpfull insights to help one be aware of the posibilities that a break in can occur..........I have my susspicion that it is more trageted towards a single family dwelling..........not so much a B&B type activity.........This forum has been around for some time........I haven't come across any thread discussing a break in.
 
sure..........I get the neighborhood appearance and feel to it as to whether folks would be confortable.........I would assume.......I, or any owner would want that very same thing for where they are living.
A bar across the street.........no.......that's not gonna fly for me.........or even one down on the corner.
Personaly.......I'm just trying to grasp the idea of a "break in"........stolen items.....as described in the openning post.
Our home was broken into once back in the late 60's.......we all think it was probably my brother.....

Considering some of the items listed that a thief does and looks for.......I would imagine that the activity of a B&B would be one of 2 things........a deterant, due to the activity of people coming and going...........or an invite, due the activity of people coming or going.
certainly those are helpfull insights to help one be aware of the posibilities that a break in can occur..........I have my susspicion that it is more trageted towards a single family dwelling..........not so much a B&B type activity.........This forum has been around for some time........I haven't come across any thread discussing a break in..
Good point that no one has come here to say they'd been burgled. It is probably a lesser occurance than the general population. Even tho we may seem 'casual' about some things, I think most B&B owners are really focused on their guests being safe, however they do that, so in turn, it makes the owner a little safer, too. Seriously, I think the most reported 'crime' on here have been the stories of B&B owners murdered rather than burgled. And in each case, the victim knew the perpetrator for a somewhat extended period. The most reported 'accident' being fire. Things being stolen tend to be stolen by guests, rather than a break-in.
I had somene tell me that she was the night mgr at a motel and someone came in and cleared out an entire room. Right to the walls. Who would want motel furniture???
 
Oh no......
maybe not such a good idea mentioning "murders"..........lol
 
sure..........I get the neighborhood appearance and feel to it as to whether folks would be confortable.........I would assume.......I, or any owner would want that very same thing for where they are living.
A bar across the street.........no.......that's not gonna fly for me.........or even one down on the corner.
Personaly.......I'm just trying to grasp the idea of a "break in"........stolen items.....as described in the openning post.
Our home was broken into once back in the late 60's.......we all think it was probably my brother.....

Considering some of the items listed that a thief does and looks for.......I would imagine that the activity of a B&B would be one of 2 things........a deterant, due to the activity of people coming and going...........or an invite, due the activity of people coming or going.
certainly those are helpfull insights to help one be aware of the posibilities that a break in can occur..........I have my susspicion that it is more trageted towards a single family dwelling..........not so much a B&B type activity.........This forum has been around for some time........I haven't come across any thread discussing a break in..
Good point that no one has come here to say they'd been burgled. It is probably a lesser occurance than the general population. Even tho we may seem 'casual' about some things, I think most B&B owners are really focused on their guests being safe, however they do that, so in turn, it makes the owner a little safer, too. Seriously, I think the most reported 'crime' on here have been the stories of B&B owners murdered rather than burgled. And in each case, the victim knew the perpetrator for a somewhat extended period. The most reported 'accident' being fire. Things being stolen tend to be stolen by guests, rather than a break-in.
I had somene tell me that she was the night mgr at a motel and someone came in and cleared out an entire room. Right to the walls. Who would want motel furniture???
.
Morticia said:
Good point that no one has come here to say they'd been burgled. It is probably a lesser occurance than the general population. Even tho we may seem 'casual' about some things, I think most B&B owners are really focused on their guests being safe, however they do that, so in turn, it makes the owner a little safer, too.
Exactly.
 
When I worked at the Yorkshire we had had a warning about a particular guest that he was staying in hotels locally then leaving in the night without paying leaving all drug stuff behind etc. The police said if he comes then check him in and then they would come and pick him up. So I did I wasn't certain it was the same chap but pretty sure. So I rang them five times with all the details as I double checked with the original hotel and they denied that it was ever this chap and that he wasn't wanted for anything so we were stuck with him. He paid when he checked in and I told the bar and restaurant not to let him charge to his room as he had run up a large bill in the other places but they let him anyway so he ran up a huge bill. He then left during the night with the flat screen tv infront of the night manager and the night porter who sat and let him! Then what a shocker he did a bunk. Typical police said oh yes the next day when we called them out to the crime scene we did want him actually! I said he was asleep in his room yesterday when I rang you 5 times and you insisted he wasn't wanted you could have picked him up any time he was practically gift wrapped! So wasn't impressed really!
 
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime".
One Day said:
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime"
Like the guests who told me they stayed next door to a pawn shop and tattoo parlor, and were totally ticked off and had been driving all day so locked themselves in and just left at the crack of dawn the next day.
Question: I know everyone is entitled to make a living, but do you think that these state/local/whatever inspections should take into account a B&B trying to open in a seedy neighborhood?
We stayed at a B&B where it was immediately apparent that all the other houses on the street had security doors, and bars on their windows! It was one of those instances we all know of where a historic district goes to pot, sublet the homes into apartments, ie crack houses and laundry hanging everywhere and then someone turns the tide and starts revitalizing the area. Meanwhile there is a fixed up beautifully restored home next door to an apt or crack house. It is typical in old neighborhoods.
 
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime".
One Day said:
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime"
Like the guests who told me they stayed next door to a pawn shop and tattoo parlor, and were totally ticked off and had been driving all day so locked themselves in and just left at the crack of dawn the next day.
Question: I know everyone is entitled to make a living, but do you think that these state/local/whatever inspections should take into account a B&B trying to open in a seedy neighborhood?
We stayed at a B&B where it was immediately apparent that all the other houses on the street had security doors, and bars on their windows! It was one of those instances we all know of where a historic district goes to pot, sublet the homes into apartments, ie crack houses and laundry hanging everywhere and then someone turns the tide and starts revitalizing the area. Meanwhile there is a fixed up beautifully restored home next door to an apt or crack house. It is typical in old neighborhoods.
.
You know what they tell them? " this is an up and coming neighborhood in transition" Don't hold your breath.
Sorry..but by the time the inspector gets there...it is too late. Someone needs to give them the "real picture" BEFORE they buy it.
 
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime".
One Day said:
That's good stuff.....
Is this an issue with B&B's
I've read many threads discussing programable door locks for entrances and quest rooms....alarms for residents quarters.
Is a break in as described above a realistic issue for the B&B industry?
Is it more location specific?
I have to say......as I look at B&B's for sale......or old homes for sale.....I do check the demographics for a given location and one of the topics I am interested in is in fact "crime"
Like the guests who told me they stayed next door to a pawn shop and tattoo parlor, and were totally ticked off and had been driving all day so locked themselves in and just left at the crack of dawn the next day.
Question: I know everyone is entitled to make a living, but do you think that these state/local/whatever inspections should take into account a B&B trying to open in a seedy neighborhood?
We stayed at a B&B where it was immediately apparent that all the other houses on the street had security doors, and bars on their windows! It was one of those instances we all know of where a historic district goes to pot, sublet the homes into apartments, ie crack houses and laundry hanging everywhere and then someone turns the tide and starts revitalizing the area. Meanwhile there is a fixed up beautifully restored home next door to an apt or crack house. It is typical in old neighborhoods.
.
It was one of those instances we all know of where a historic district goes to pot, sublet the homes into apartments, ie crack houses and laundry hanging everywhere and then someone turns the tide and starts revitalizing the area.
Gawd forbid we get one of those commercial B & Bs in our HISTORIC DISTRICT!!! It will run down the property values of our historic district!
 
Things homeowners don't tell burglers:
1. I have several guns.
2. I have lots of ammunition.
3. Go ahead punk....and make my day.
 
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